Alison Wonderland

Feb 13, 2012 Cyndy Aleo rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: oh-dear-god-what-was-that

I'd seen the ads on Goodreads for Helen Smith's Alison Wonderland, and the premise sounded intriguing: A woman goes to work for a private investigation agency after her divorce. So when it popped up as the Kindle deal of the day, it was a no-brainer that I'd pick it up. Plus, it has a great cover, and I'm a sucker for great covers.

Unfortunately, between that and the great opening line, that's where this book hit its peak.

The rest appears to be a cobbled-together experiment of rapidly switching P...more I'd seen the ads on Goodreads for Helen Smith's Alison Wonderland, and the premise sounded intriguing: A woman goes to work for a private investigation agency after her divorce. So when it popped up as the Kindle deal of the day, it was a no-brainer that I'd pick it up. Plus, it has a great cover, and I'm a sucker for great covers.

Unfortunately, between that and the great opening line, that's where this book hit its peak.

The rest appears to be a cobbled-together experiment of rapidly switching POVs attempting to pass off as quirky. Alison finds herself drawn into some bizarro world of hidden genetic experimentation, but everyone involved is such a bumbling idiot it's surprising anything ever succeeded. Each new plot twist tries to one-up the previous for shock value until the (and I'm going to spoil here, but I'm begging you not to read this book, so really, you'll thank me later) moment when Alison and her stoner friend/client Taron stumble upon a man having sex with the giant sheep/pig he's caretaker for while standing on a ladder over a giant painting of a naked man on a hillside.

Yes, Smith went there. No, I can't unsee that. And now, neither can you. Sorry about that.

At some point, I probably should have quit reading Alison Wonderland. In hindsight (horrible pun after that last scene, I'll admit), I wish I had, but I kept hoping that the conclusion would tie it all together in some spectacular way that would make sense, and I would be struck by the brilliance -- that all the seeming nonsense would be a stunning act of literary wonder.

Instead, it was more nonsense, and if this was a paper book, and not a Kindle book on my iPad, I'd have Dorothy Parkered it, and thrown it with great force.

I remain convinced that every review here on Goodreads that gave it anything over one star was given by someone who read it and thinks that they must have missed the brilliance, and by giving it anything less than the rating they did, they were somehow admitting ignorance. Instead, I'm going to be the one person at the parade who's going to stand up and say it: The emperor is wearing no clothes. (less)

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Jul 03, 2010 Imogen Rose rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved it. Having lived in England for about 20 years, this book was especially entertaining with lots of references to things/places I really miss–like Marks and Spencers!

My review for Amazon:

Modern Wonderland

You had me at "I'm waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until, then I'm staying single." And you kept me captivated right to the end-the poignant parting words will stay with me.

I can't rave about this book enough. The Author, Helen Smith, takes us on a wondrous...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Vicki Tyley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: indie

Alison Wonderland is a delightfully quirky, character-driven odyssey. Underlying the seamless prose is Smith's wit and insightful observation of human nature. An absolute joy to read.

The literary fiction I've read (or at least attempted to read) in the past has always been hard work. In Alison Wonderland, it’s Smith’s words that do all the work. All the reader need do is sit back and enjoy the journey.

I urge others, who like me are wary of anything labelled “literary fiction,” to take a chance o...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I recently received a true ‘gift’ in the mail from an author living in England. I was not only in love with the title right off the bat, but the cover, the synopsis and the first paragraph had me at ‘Hello.’

Alison Temple is what you would call a ‘stand-offish’ gal. The very first thing readers find out about her is the fact that when people asked her if she was married, she would reply: “I’m waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I’ll get married. Until then I’m staying single.” (Truer w...more I recently received a true ‘gift’ in the mail from an author living in England. I was not only in love with the title right off the bat, but the cover, the synopsis and the first paragraph had me at ‘Hello.’

Alison Temple is what you would call a ‘stand-offish’ gal. The very first thing readers find out about her is the fact that when people asked her if she was married, she would reply: “I’m waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I’ll get married. Until then I’m staying single.” (Truer words have never been spoken - right, ladies?)

Anyway, Alison did get married, but it was one of those 50% that end in…yup…cheating. At least, Alison believed that her husband was a cheating ‘perv’ and she wanted out of a bad situation. So, what did she do? She hired an all-female (You Go Girls!) private detective agency to spy on him, and when they discovered Alison was completely correct in her assumption, she packed up and hit the road. The husband, by the way, disappeared completely. However, before she left, Alison put her wedding dress on the bed, sprayed red paint on it, and attached a note that read: “You broke my heart.” Talk about making a lasting statement.

Alison went on to gain employment with the very detective agency that’d found her husband cheating. Becoming an investigator, Alison is sent out on cases and also works part-time in the office. Here best friend, Taron, is what you would call a little bit ‘nuts’ and insists that her mother is a witch. (She’s not the only one).

Alison also knows Jeff, a very ‘poetic’ neighbor who is more than a little in love with Alison. Add to her world a psychic postman, and the various stories in this strange life jump right off the pages.

This is not a ‘lazy’ afternoon read. You have to pay attention because the plot is fast! But when the reader realizes that the plot and characters move quickly, this book will keep them on the edge of their La-Z-Boy’s waiting to see what they’ll do next.

Alison and her various pals tend to treat all their adventures with a calm serenity; they know Buddhist Drummers and spend time checking up on homeless babies. Perhaps some will find the narrative a bit crude at times but, to me, it was absolutely hysterical.

Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy

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May 04, 2012 Tuck rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: oh-loyd-i-wanna-be-hearkbroken

originally published by amazonencore which all i've read have been great, noirish, tough books. this on has been re-released in usa by houghton mifflin. it is a kind of goofy, at times very funny, practically plotless (or rather a plot so shaky and thin at times it is just ignored) but between the comedy and the good dialog and bizzaro elements, there is quite a poignant story of love in modern times, that is, lost.

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Mar 04, 2012 Kara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery

The best thing about this book was the four blank pages at the end.

I needed to make a note of something and luckily had this book on hand.

Meanwhile, the book itself was… urgh.

The premise sounded quite fun: girl suspects husband is cheating, girl hires all female detective agency to investigate him, girl finds out he’s cheating, leaves him, and joins said all female detective agency. Should be a good story, right?

WRONG!!!!

Shifting POV, shifting tenses, insane characters that inspire flight rather...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Erica Lovett rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’m probably gender-biased, but I love a good book about an interesting female heroine. “Alison Wonderland” gives me not just one interesting character, but a whole handful of them. At twenty-four, Alison finds out her husband is cheating on her and throws him out of her life, then going to work for the very investigative agency that reported his infidelity. She seems to be living in a state of suspension—getting through each day without much investment in it—and keeps everyone at arm’s length,...more I’m probably gender-biased, but I love a good book about an interesting female heroine. “Alison Wonderland” gives me not just one interesting character, but a whole handful of them. At twenty-four, Alison finds out her husband is cheating on her and throws him out of her life, then going to work for the very investigative agency that reported his infidelity. She seems to be living in a state of suspension—getting through each day without much investment in it—and keeps everyone at arm’s length, especially her neighbor Jeff, who is head-over-heels in love with her and leaves her almost-daily poems on her doorstop.
However, when Alison gets tangled up in an investigation of a shady genetic testing company called Emphglott, her life starts to change—and she begins to open up more as her friendship with the quirky Taron develops. Taron wants to “find” a baby for her witch (literal) of a mother, and soon Alison and Taron are not only trying to track down a foundling of their own, but also trying to keep their friends safe from the bad guys at Emphglott.
Though I sometimes got frustrated with Taron’s daftness, I did find myself invested in the characters, most especially Jeff; there were times when I wanted to shake Alison and tell her to open her eyes and her heart.
The reviews for this book seem to be polarized, but I think whether or not a reader can enjoy it will depend on how they approach the book. Its title gives you an indication that it might be a bit tongue-in-cheek and implausible, as does the shig (I will leave that a mystery for future readers to find out). The joy of this book is not in a linear or realistic plot, but in the characters and the unexpected. I’d recommend “Alison Wonderland” for readers who like a mix of fantasy and realism in their novels, and for those who don’t mind suspending disbelief for a few hundred pages to go on an enjoyable, light-hearted journey. I didn’t get the closure I wanted at the end, but perhaps there will be a sequel to tell us what happens to the characters.
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Dec 23, 2012 Michikit rated it 5 of 5 stars

I’ll need to say this: this novel was unique and I am talking about the way the story and certain events occurred. I loved this! There were moments when I was confused, but that was all in the plot and in the end mostly everything is clear. I also enjoyed all the surprising twists, so if you like being surprised; this is the book for you.

It would be impossible for me to put it under just one genre. When I started reading the synopsis I had the impression that it was a drama, after reading it I...more

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Aug 19, 2012 Hock Tjoa rated it 3 of 5 stars

I found this a charming, whimsical read; it is not strong on plot or action, but very like music sometimes called "easy-listening." It is told with sections in the first person and others in the third person.

The first person character, Alison, is a 30-ish woman who divorced her husband after her suspicions were confirmed by the detective agency she hires. She eventually goes to work at this agency, run by a Mrs. "Ella Fitzgerald." At first she does a few investigations into situations similar to...more

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Jul 31, 2012 Lindsay (Little Reader Library) rated it 3 of 5 stars

'Not everything is what it seems.'

Alison Temple employed a detective agency hoping that they would prove her wrong in her suspicion that her husband was being unfaithful, but her suspicions were correct. She leaves him, and begins working at the very same female detective agency that she used: Fitzgerald's Bureau of Investigation in London. Now Alison is the one following errant husbands around on behalf of other women also looking to have their worst fears confirmed.

In amongst all the deceit s...more 'Not everything is what it seems.'

Alison Temple employed a detective agency hoping that they would prove her wrong in her suspicion that her husband was being unfaithful, but her suspicions were correct. She leaves him, and begins working at the very same female detective agency that she used: Fitzgerald's Bureau of Investigation in London. Now Alison is the one following errant husbands around on behalf of other women also looking to have their worst fears confirmed.

In amongst all the deceit she witnesses, her friend Taron provides a welcome escape. Though the bulk of what she says is in fact, fiction, Alison realises that Taron's behaviour and eccentricities aren't perhaps as ridiculous as it might first seem: 'I feel miserable as I leave the office tonight, and suddenly Taron represents a kind of logic and stability in this crazy world. At any rate, even though her head is filled with nonsense, I think the only person she has ever deceived is herself.'

There are several interesting supporting characters; I enjoyed reading about Mrs Fitzgerald, and I also liked the psychic postman, who 'often comments on letters he's delivering. 'Good news,' he'll say, popping something through someone else's letterbox.' Alongside the other exploits that Alison gets involved in, the plot also brings up varied subjects from abandoned babies to scientists creating new animal forms.

It's an interesting, inventive novel, amusing and weird, yet also, for me at least, it was quite confusing at times. It may not be for everyone, and at times I felt less drawn in to the story, when I wanted to feel more involved in it, and perhaps grasp more of the ideas that the writer puts forward. It doesn't have a straightforward or easy-to-follow plotline, which may or may not make you want to read this book.

However, it is certainly something rather different to most novels I tend to read, and the author has written a creative and thought-provoking work, with a nice juxtaposition of Alison's personal and professional lives, and some insightful observations of human nature.

I think the title is very clever, and the cover is striking, cleverly designed and very appealing and quirky, which suits the book.(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Stephanie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mainstream

This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

Sometimes I think I’m a bit of a slow learner. Why is it that the books I put off reading the longest are always the ones that end up resonating with me the most? Perhaps it’s that I’m getting old and the plasticity of my brain isn’t what it used to be, or that I’m settling quite comfily into the staid mindset that comes with becoming a proper adult, where at the end of each day, my overworked mind wants nothing more than to fling o...more This review originally appeared at www.readinasinglesitting.com.

Sometimes I think I’m a bit of a slow learner. Why is it that the books I put off reading the longest are always the ones that end up resonating with me the most? Perhaps it’s that I’m getting old and the plasticity of my brain isn’t what it used to be, or that I’m settling quite comfily into the staid mindset that comes with becoming a proper adult, where at the end of each day, my overworked mind wants nothing more than to fling off its confining business-like trappings and slump into the intellectual equivalent of woolly slippers and and a Snuggie?

All I can say is that I’m glad that every now and then some literary singleton drags my poor little brain out for a spin. And yes, Alison Wonderland is indeed one of those books. If Lewis Carroll, Haruki Murakami, and Ulrich Beck got together and ate too many Smarties, snorted some lines of sherbet and then span around in circles for a good five minutes, this is the book they would subsequently sit down to write. It’s both surreal and hyperreal, and it’s very, very strange and very, very funny.

Freshly free of her cheating spouse, Alison Temple takes a position working as a freelance investigator. But as she sets about following suspicious married types about–note: your wayward partner may merely be, ahem, casting his rod for actual fish, not for other fish in the sea–she finds herself the subject of a bizarre investigation that is the result of a series of communicative blunders and assumptions, largely one involving a presumed intelligence and craftiness that is well beyond what the addled Alison, whose mind is always late for a very important date, exhibits. And thus, while Alison is off daytripping (and tripping) by the sea, in search of cabbage patch babies and witchy-poo myths, the authorities are cobbling together dozens of bits of wrongly interpreted evidence that they’re convinced proves that Alison is an activist mastermind bent on taking down the world’s GMO operations. Let this be a warning to those of you who care to mark down your friends’ star signs in your address book.

A frothy mix of plaited plotlines that weave in and out of our world and one very much beyond it, Alison Wonderland is a novel of sleuthing after cheating lovers, of genetic engineering, of undefined relationships and of the grit of London. Or at least, it seems to be–reality is very much a thing of question here. This is a novel whose verve and delight exists at the apogee of its plot, with its true appeal being in the hurdy-gurdy of Smith’s prose and her ability to slap the reader with a cod of insight that in other books would flail limply about on the page. She blends the mundane and the banal with the serious and the intellectual, and serves it up with a garnish of the absurdity that is a comedy of errors.

Along with assessments of social activists who rue that “a social conscience doesn’t leave much time for a social life”, we’re fed such sweet morsels as that involving the outlaw status of the Jaffa Cake, the “Robin Hood of the snack world” due to its VAT-exempt status; we shuffle ashamedly along with such painfully true statements as the businessperson who says “I never see my family” while meaning “see how attractive I am; my wife still loves me even though I ignore her except to talk about work”, and cringe at oh-she-didn’t moments such as where Alison objects to her friend Taron tying red protective ribbons to their foundling pseudo-daughter’s clothing because “she looks too much like an AIDS fashion statement”.

Like the Carroll novel that is its namesake–although other than its down-the-rabbit-hole dreaminess of this volume, there’s little else to connect the two–Alison Wonderland is the kind of book that stirs up all of the ignored gunk at the bottom of a fishpond and sets it seething to the surface, where you can’t help but see it, no matter how much you want to pretend you haven’t. It’s embarrassing and abrasive, and it’s also surprisingly beautiful, if, of course, a novel that involves sheep-pig bestiality can be called beautiful.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Marc Nash rated it 4 of 5 stars

"Alison Wonderland" is a slyly subversive book. Therefore depending on a reader's preconceptions, they will either delight in it like me or I suspect, the other pole of response is to be somewhat baffled by it.

Alison Temple is also known as Alison Wonderland. She attempts to reinvent herself after discovering her spouse is unfaithful to her. But you can only change certain superficial things about your personality, not your deepest inner core. Alison operates on two levels, the confident, profe...more "Alison Wonderland" is a slyly subversive book. Therefore depending on a reader's preconceptions, they will either delight in it like me or I suspect, the other pole of response is to be somewhat baffled by it.

Alison Temple is also known as Alison Wonderland. She attempts to reinvent herself after discovering her spouse is unfaithful to her. But you can only change certain superficial things about your personality, not your deepest inner core. Alison operates on two levels, the confident, professional private investigator (cases of marital infidelity and politically sensitive industrial espionage); and the inner city single girl to whom things happen rather than her driving events forward in a search for love and fulfilment.

Part of the novel is a love letter to London. A dualistic wonderland in and below the level of vision and comprehension. Dark forces are at work, forces that invade her personal life and lead her to go on the run in a very sedate road trip to Weymouth, fuelled by sweets and chocolates from Woolworths and roadside garages. A road trip undertaken with her best friend Taron, a sexy Clubber and girl about London town, but behind which is a romantic, off-kilter spiritual woman who is also a pathological liar and fantasist. If Alison herself is a character the author has reined in, Taron is a freewheeling, wildly comic invention. The two spark off one another perfectly, Taron in her madcap schemes such as seeking to find an abandoned newborn to offer as a gift to her witch mother to help her failing powers, Alison all practicalities of how to care for it with nappies and milk and consequent musings on her own love life and future progeny. These two single girls pursuing a night out in a Weymouth club is perhaps the highlight set-piece scene in the book. An absolute hoot and a rave as they desperately seek the means of pleasure within a very desultory pleasure palace indeed.

The narrative of the book means that it avoids having set-piece scenes on the whole. Some chapters veer vertiginously so that there is seemingly no link to what has just preceded, though this settles down from about halfway through the novel. Again this is the subversive hue of the book. No clear genres. No fully defined plot arc. Characters who are more real and yet somehow ethereal as they float through the novel synchronously to events. These are people just trying to live their lives and just as Alison in her work has to spy and throw the light on the people she has under scrutiny, so the author has a similar spotlight cast on Alison and her friends. Sometimes they are in the full illumination of the spotlight, sometimes their activities are barely caught in its margins. Personally I found this very satisfying. The human scale was perfectly rendered, rather than fictional devices and conceits having to be employed to resolve things or hurry the action along.

Ultimately this is a book about whether the characters inhabit their lives as an active, conscious decision, or live adrift within it, as events and other people pass through, unable to affect anything much in the way of interaction or relationship with them. Which side of the looking glass do you want to live on? There is little trite redemption within these pages. Instead the reader is left painting scenarios of minor triumphs and gnawing regrets that the characters continue to experience beyond the life of the book. And that I think is no mean triumph of the novel itself. And a little subversive too in its own way.
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Jun 06, 2012 Amy Lignor rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recently received a true ‘gift’ in the mail from an author living in England. I was not only in love with the title right off the bat, but the cover, the synopsis and the first paragraph had me at ‘Hello.’

Alison Temple is what you would call a ‘stand-offish’ gal. The very first thing readers find out about her is the fact that when people asked her if she was married, she would reply: “I’m waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I’ll get married. Until then I’m staying single.” (Truer w...more I recently received a true ‘gift’ in the mail from an author living in England. I was not only in love with the title right off the bat, but the cover, the synopsis and the first paragraph had me at ‘Hello.’

Alison Temple is what you would call a ‘stand-offish’ gal. The very first thing readers find out about her is the fact that when people asked her if she was married, she would reply: “I’m waiting for Mr. Wonderland and when I find him I’ll get married. Until then I’m staying single.” (Truer words have never been spoken - right, ladies?)

Anyway, Alison did get married, but it was one of those 50% that end in…yup…cheating. At least, Alison believed that her husband was a cheating ‘perv’ and she wanted out of a bad situation. So, what did she do? She hired an all-female (You Go Girls!) private detective agency to spy on him, and when they discovered Alison was completely correct in her assumption, she packed up and hit the road. The husband, by the way, disappeared completely. However, before she left, Alison put her wedding dress on the bed, sprayed red paint on it, and attached a note that read: “You broke my heart.” Talk about making a lasting statement.

Alison went on to gain employment with the very detective agency that’d found her husband cheating. Becoming an investigator, Alison is sent out on cases and also works part-time in the office. Here best friend, Taron, is what you would call a little bit ‘nuts’ and insists that her mother is a witch. (She’s not the only one).

Alison also knows Jeff, a very ‘poetic’ neighbor who is more than a little in love with Alison. Add to her world a psychic postman, and the various stories in this strange life jump right off the pages.

This is not a ‘lazy’ afternoon read. You have to pay attention because the plot is fast! But when the reader realizes that the plot and characters move quickly, this book will keep them on the edge of their La-Z-Boy’s waiting to see what they’ll do next.

Alison and her various pals tend to treat all their adventures with a calm serenity; they know Buddhist Drummers and spend time checking up on homeless babies. Perhaps some will find the narrative a bit crude at times but, to me, it was absolutely hysterical.

Until Next Time, Everybody,
Amy

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May 04, 2012 Heather Boustead rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, ebook, humour, offbeat-or-quirky

Alison Wonderland
By Helen Smith

Alison Templar hires a detective agency to find out if her husband is cheating on her, unfortunately he is so she leaves him in a blaze of glory and decides to work for the all-female P.I. firm that she had hired. Taron, Alison’s crazy best friend, hires Alison to help her find an abandoned baby for her mother to apprentice in magic. All the while there are people who are after Alison because she may know too much.

This book is not for everyone but if you are a fan...more

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Jan 24, 2012 David Hebblethwaite rated it 3 of 5 stars

Now this, I think it’s fair to say, is a bit of an oddity. Alison Temple first came across the all-female-staffed Fitzgerald’s Bureau of Investigation when she hired them to find out whether her husband was cheating on her (which he was); now divorced, Alison works for Fitzgerald’s, her latest assignment being to investigate a sinister pharmaceutical company. Alongside this, her friend Taron is requesting information that will help her steal an abandoned baby; and Jeff, Alison’s neighbour and so...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Karielle Stephanie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: blog

Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith
Release Date: August 16th, 2011
Publisher: AmazonEncore
Page Count: 189
Source: ARC from Little Bird Publicity for review

"I need some information. Can you help me get it?"

"OK." I'm opening my post but I have a pen and pad ready.

"I need some statistics about which part of the country babies are abandoned most often, what time of year, and where to find them -- outside hospitals or police stations or under hedges or in phone boxes."

"Oh, OK. Yes, of course." I move the...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Krystal rated it 4 of 5 stars

One of the best qualities of this book is the raw tone the author uses to tell the story. Everything is laid bare, the characters do not hold back in the slightest. There are highs and lows in Alison's life, the reader will have the chance to get inside her head. When her husband cheats on her, she retaliates by joining the detective firm that first uncovered the husband's infidelity. The events that take place when she begins work for the detective agency are both funny, unbelievable, slightly...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Beverly Diehl rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-womens-fiction, humor

Overall, I liked the book, but IMO it had some serious flaws that detracted from what it could have been.

Loved the author's light tone and humorous voice. There were many places where it was laugh out loud funny. The style was kind of French farce/Monty Python sketch-y, which makes sense with the author being a playwright. Some don't like that style - I do. Even if it's not your usual "thing," if you also write, it is worth a read simply for that reason, to better understand said structure. It w...more

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Sep 03, 2011 Pamelabyoung rated it 2 of 5 stars

Yuk. Why, oh, why did I buy this book? Because it is British or the title caught my eye or the reviews called it "quirky" and "funny" and "character driven"? Because it was advertised in the flashing box on the top right corner on Goodreads? Or perhaps because it was only $3.99 for Kindle? For whatever reason, I bought it and kept reading it in hopes it would redeem itself. It didn't.

In a Q&A on Amazon, the author says, "I have to warn Lewis Carroll fans that any direct reference to his work...more Yuk. Why, oh, why did I buy this book? Because it is British or the title caught my eye or the reviews called it "quirky" and "funny" and "character driven"? Because it was advertised in the flashing box on the top right corner on Goodreads? Or perhaps because it was only $3.99 for Kindle? For whatever reason, I bought it and kept reading it in hopes it would redeem itself. It didn't.

In a Q&A on Amazon, the author says, "I have to warn Lewis Carroll fans that any direct reference to his work in my book begins and ends with the pun in the title." I have to disagree. "Alison Wonderland" is confusing and weird, it has nothing to say, and as the Cheshire Cat says in "Alice in Wonderland", the characters are "all mad here".

As much as I have enjoyed the weirdness of Alice in Wonderland in the movies, I could not get into the book when I was younger. It was confusing and all over the place and made absolutely no sense to me. Of course, I grew to understand that the absurdity of the characters and setting was what made the book such a well loved classic. However, the characters in Alison Wonderland are not quirky, they are just weird and unlikable, whether heroine or foe. The setting is grim and seedy and tarnishing to my love of all things British. Yuk.

But the most confusing issues for me include the constant point of view switches, the jumping around from present to past to future tense, the shallow characterizations, the sudden R rated language that seemed to appear out of nowhere for shock value, and the narrative that was an obvious attempt at being whimsical and "quirky".

Now, it is likely that critics will love this book for the same reasons I don't like it, but my bottom line here is: I have so little time to read, I don't want to waste it on a stupid book that offers nothing other than sucking up the time spent reading it. I know, I know. I only have myself to blame for continuing to read past chapter 1. What is the compulsion I feel for giving a book so many chances? I keep on, like some kind of determined, half-crazed idiot, reading and reading and searching for something to redeem the time. Okay, the author did write some funny sentences, but they were tied together with a stupid plot, unlikable characters, ugliness, seediness and a seeming attempt at being so unique and cool that fell totally flat for this reader.

Wow. My review was nearly as long as the book. (BTW, it is now available for 99 cents for Kindle.)(less)

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Jan 24, 2011 Grace Krispy rated it 4 of 5 stars

"My name's Alison Temple and I used to have this line when people asked me if I'm married. I'd say, 'I'm waiting for Mr Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until then I'm staying single.' The kind of people who need to know whether or not you're married don't see the humor in a joke like that."

And so begins the tale of Alison Wonderland, a straightforward, amateur detective of sorts who's just trying to find her truth in life. In the meantime, she meanders around, making the best ch...more "My name's Alison Temple and I used to have this line when people asked me if I'm married. I'd say, 'I'm waiting for Mr Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until then I'm staying single.' The kind of people who need to know whether or not you're married don't see the humor in a joke like that."

And so begins the tale of Alison Wonderland, a straightforward, amateur detective of sorts who's just trying to find her truth in life. In the meantime, she meanders around, making the best choices she can, and doing what she thinks is right. Alison has a downstairs neighbor who shows his love with poetry- between coming up with the next great invention (my favorite is the clock that makes time go slower or faster, depending upon what you want at the time), a job following and photographing unfaithful men, a crazy and possibly unstable friend, and, oh yeah, there's a man out there dead-set on finding out exactly what Alison knows, which is nothing at all, really.

With witty, straightforward writing, and well-developed characters, Helen Smith has crafted an engaging tale that takes us into Alison's life and thoughts. A big part of the appeal of this book is the sheer enjoyment as we saunter along with Alison, who finds herself in the oddest of situations- on a hillside, watching a man in love with his shig, tracking down an "unfaithful" husband who is actually just trying to make ends meet, helping a friend escape from a club supposedly frequented by singing monks, finding a baby in a box at the edge of the sea... life is never boring in Wonderland.

Written in the present tense with UK spelling and phrasing- including single quote marks for dialogue- some readers may need a few chapters to adjust to the style. I quite enjoyed the style, and was quickly immersed in the story. The tale sort of ambles along, not really intent upon getting anywhere. At times, I found myself wondering if we were really even headed in the same direction as we started. It's really less of an progression towards an end of some sort, and more a study of the characters contained with the pages.There is some growth to be seen in some of the characters, and in Alison's character, in particular. Each bizarre turn spurs Alison on again and we discover more about who she is and what she is becoming through those turns of event. There are several different storylines going on in the story, and they don't all get tied up in neat little packages at the end, but, somehow, the ending is fitting and gives a sense of closure anyway.

Loosely connected, but utterly entertaining, this is a fun read all around.

@MotherLode blog(less)

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Mar 24, 2012 Tammy ~NovelOpinion rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, indie-self-pubbed, mystery-detective, uf

The first thing I noticed about Alison Wonderland was the contradictory reviews on Amazon.
Now, I made sure not to read the actual reviews, a very bad practice for reviewers in my opinion. (I am big on opinions, I know.) I did, however, notice the Star Ratings. Fours, twos, fives, threes... it was odd. Having corresponded through email with Helen Smith, I knew her to be articulate and very interesting so I was confused with the ratings I saw.

So I began to read. And read, read some more, remember...more
The first thing I noticed about Alison Wonderland was the contradictory reviews on Amazon.
Now, I made sure not to read the actual reviews, a very bad practice for reviewers in my opinion. (I am big on opinions, I know.) I did, however, notice the Star Ratings. Fours, twos, fives, threes... it was odd. Having corresponded through email with Helen Smith, I knew her to be articulate and very interesting so I was confused with the ratings I saw.

So I began to read. And read, read some more, remember I missed dinner, and read while I ate dinner. I was delighted! Helen Smith's writing style is enchanting in it's vibrant colors, neurotic characters and flamboyant plot-lines. It's like listening to that wonderful friend, the one who travels all over the world; wears bohemian mixed with designer clothing; has friends with yachts and still can't wait to regale you with her stories, talking non-stop into the night with bottles of wine piling up on your coffee table.

I can see where some would get confused if they tried to take the characters too literally and too seriously. Helen Smith is very clever in that she weaves many "Easter Eggs" into most aspects of the story. It's like falling into the rabbit hole and discovering brilliant people who aren't quit what you expect and scenes filled with double-entandre. I loved every minute of it.

Please do not misunderstand me, this is not a bizarro read in which nothing makes sense and you have to re-read every chapter to get it. In fact, it flowed for me and I became lost in the story. In fact, the story is very straight forward. (Smiles)

Alison Temple has hired an all woman investigative company. She wants to confirm that her husband is not cheating on her. She eventually becomes an investigator at that very office. Once she has become experienced her boss sets her on a very secret assignment and the adventure begins.

You will love her friend Taron who is just plain nuts and lovely. Her neighbor Jeff, who is madly in love with her, is an inventor of crazy but useful things. The relationships are refreshing and funny and believable.

This is a smart story. Fantastical and fun. A decadent read that I loved and strongly recommend to contemporary, urban fantasy, mystery and the curious! Just kick off your shoes, lay back and open your mind, then open the book.....

Here is the Summary from GoodReads but I warn you, it doesn't do it justice. When Alison joins Mrs Fitzgeralds Bureau of Investigation as a private detective, her new job takes her on a series of loosely linked adventures involving an abandoned baby, a transgenic animal and secret tunnels under The Thames. She travels from London to the seaside town of Weymouth and back again with her new best friend Taron, a girl with a hundred candle smile. But someone is betraying her. Is it Taron? Is it Jeff, the sweet-natured inventor who writes her poetry? Or are there darker forces at play? 'Only occasionally does a piece of fiction leap out and demand immediate cult status. Alison Wonderland is one.' The Times(less)

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Dec 07, 2010 Jaidis Shaw rated it 4 of 5 stars

I recently finished reading Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith and found it to be quite refreshing. Written with UK grammar and spelling, this book does take a few chapters to get comfortable with the writing style. As well as the difference in grammar, Alison Wonderland jumps from character to character, letting us experience their separate thoughts and feelings as their share a combined journey in the book. After you get used to the writing style, you can comfortably follow Alison on her ups and...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Lindis Russell rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-i-could-not-finish

This is the first time that I have NOT finished a book. So I made a shelf for it! he he he : ) I read up to 50% The point of view kept changing, I never really knew who I was reading about. You would think that half way through you would come to a definate plot, a climax, something solid but drivel. Very very wordy! Maybe I'm not sharp enough to get it. I read several other reviews and there are some people who liked it. It just wasn't my thing I guess. I got really fed up when the main characht...more

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Dec 31, 2011 A.M. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This novel start out with its main character, Alison, recovering from a broken marriage and finding a job at a detective agency. But as the story progresses, the external mystery of what's up with Project Brown Dog dissolves into a quest to find personal meaning and happiness. "If we call out to the Universe, it will send us what we want," the character, Taron, says, as she and Alison set out to find something quite other than what the detective agency wants.

The story was an amusing but confusin...more

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Apr 26, 2012 Sadie Forsythe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Alison Wonderland reminds you that you don’t have to fall down a rabbit hole to encounter the strange and fantastical. It leaps off the page at you. Be warned, however, you can’t sit back and lazily read it. You’d get lost for sure, because it does jump around. The reader leaps from the head of one character to the next with little warning of the impending change, but once you’ve learned that this could happen at any moment it becomes one more quirk of the book. Just as you can never guess what...more Alison Wonderland reminds you that you don’t have to fall down a rabbit hole to encounter the strange and fantastical. It leaps off the page at you. Be warned, however, you can’t sit back and lazily read it. You’d get lost for sure, because it does jump around. The reader leaps from the head of one character to the next with little warning of the impending change, but once you’ve learned that this could happen at any moment it becomes one more quirk of the book. Just as you can never guess what the characters might say next, you can’t get too comfortable that you even know who might be saying it. It keeps you on your toes.

It may not be to everyone’s taste. Alison and her cohort tend to treat everything from love poems, to mysterious Buddhist drummers, to blow-jobs with the same nonplus equanimity. Personally I thought this enhanced the novel in the same way that seeing someone tell a bad joke with a stoic, straight face is somehow funnier than when they’re grinning. Others, however, may think it falls flat. This I’m afraid is probably just a matter of preference. You like it or you don’t. I do.

Reading Alison Wonderland, I’m perhaps in a relatively unique position. I’m an American living in England. This is of note because there are some definite cultural references in the book that those outside of the UK would not get. Helen waxes lyrical about Lichorice Allsorts, Jammy Dodgers, and Wagon Wheels, for example. While not wholly unheard of in the States (I can’t speak to the rest of the world) they aren’t common enough to evoke familiarity as intended in the novel and I can see that this might leave people scratching their heads and wondering ‘what was all that about?’

Overall, I enjoyed Alison Wonderland. I liked the quirky characters’ ability to accept their comrades’ foibles unquestioningly. I liked the seemingly random nature of the events and the obscured ending. I never could decide if it was happy or not. I did feel a little bit like I knew every detail of a week (or so) of Alison’s life and very little about Alison, but knowing too much just might have ruined the magic.(less)

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Oct 20, 2011 Jael rated it 2 of 5 stars

It's not often that a book leaves me stumped. One or two books have, and now I have to include Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith. I'm not sure what I just read. The description on the back of the book seems totally different from what's inside.

London-based Alison Temple hires an all-female detective agency to follow her husband. She suspects he's cheating, but doesn't want to leave without proof.

"I didn't want to leave him over a suspicion, but I didn't want to stay. I waited for a sign, somethin...more It's not often that a book leaves me stumped. One or two books have, and now I have to include Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith. I'm not sure what I just read. The description on the back of the book seems totally different from what's inside.

London-based Alison Temple hires an all-female detective agency to follow her husband. She suspects he's cheating, but doesn't want to leave without proof.

"I didn't want to leave him over a suspicion, but I didn't want to stay. I waited for a sign, something that would settle the matter for me."

She has the feeling that something is wrong, but without concrete proof is it right for Alison to leave? When she finally gets the proof, Alison makes sure to cut her ties in a rather obscene way. She paints a little message on her wedding dress. I can't repeat the message, but I found it rather FUNNY. Maybe not everyone will find it funny, but to each his own. Alison decides to work for the Fitzgerald Bureau of Investigation -- the agency that investigated her husband. Instead of Alison Temple, she is now Alison Wonderland. She's no longer waiting for Mr. Wonderful, but she has no problem taking his name. Her boss, Mrs. Fitzgerald, has a father eccentric brother Clive. Mix all those elements together, and you have what sounded like a great concept to me. The opportunities for hilarity should be plenty.

But a few chapters in I was kind of wondering, "What am I reading?" The first few cases seem very normal, but then they drift into the bizarre. Alison befriends the wacky Taron, who hires her to find out where babies are abandoned. I thought, "HUH?!?!?!" Taron sounded like a baby snatcher in the making. Run away Alison, run away !!!

Project Brown Dog -- a new top-secret case at the agency threatens everything. I'm not sure if I understood everything about the case, but this is what I took from. A company is doing illegal testing on animals, and Alison is trying to figure out why. A misunderstanding leads to this company digging up dirt on Taron's friends instead of Alison.

Sometimes it seemed like there were two books going on instead of one. On the one hand you have this complicated case, and then you have Taron and Alison going a Thelma and Louise-type trip. Except that trip lacked the murder and cops hot on their tail. Their friendship is funny and quirky at the same time. Overall, I had a hard time keeping up with the plot. Perhaps I don't read enough books by British authors. I've read two or three, and there have been times when I just don't get their sense of humor. In time I'm sure I could.

Rating: I'm in between on this one. It wasn't all bad, but it just wasn't for me. So I have to go off track with normal rating system and call it: Eccentric!!

Note: I received a copy of the book from the author's publicist (Little Bird Publicity) in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jul 30, 2010 Al rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, read-post-kindle-2010

Private detective Alison Temple works for an all women detective agency. Most of her cases require getting the goods on philandering husbands. Neither fun nor exciting, but maybe a way for a little revenge by proxy against her ex. Then there’s the big case she works for most of this book. But really, none of that matters. This isn’t a detective story. It’s something else. And I’m not sure what that is. It’s a little suspense. It’s a mid-life coming-of-age story as Alison moves between two distin...more

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Sep 21, 2011 Georgina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://chicklitaholic.blogspot.com/20...

As soon as I heard about Alison Wonderland, I knew that I had to read it. Any novel with a name even remotely similar to Alison Wonderland, my all time favorite movie (the 1950’s version that is), has me curious. While Alison Wonderland has nothing to do with the book it sounds so similar too, I was still intrigued after reading more about it. I had read many mixed reviews of this novel before picking it up, therefore I was eager to form my own opinion on...more http://chicklitaholic.blogspot.com/20...

As soon as I heard about Alison Wonderland, I knew that I had to read it. Any novel with a name even remotely similar to Alison Wonderland, my all time favorite movie (the 1950’s version that is), has me curious. While Alison Wonderland has nothing to do with the book it sounds so similar too, I was still intrigued after reading more about it. I had read many mixed reviews of this novel before picking it up, therefore I was eager to form my own opinion on the novel.

Alison Temple, is now single and alone after her husband leaves her for another women. Unsure of what to do next she impulsively applies for a job at a detective agency that managed to trap her husband, hoping that it will provide a fresh start. Alison spends her days tracking lost objects and her nights following unfaithful husbands. Alison has many interesting characters in her life including her boss Mrs Fitzgerald, her eccentric best friend, Taron, her love struck neighbour Jeff and even a psychic postman. Her relationship with each of them grows when she joins Taron on a road trip to the sea and stumbles upon sinister goings on she did not see coming.

I have to admit that I am a little mixed with my feelings about Alison Wonderland. At times throughout the book I found myself loving it, and then at times I really had a hard time getting into it. I did find the style of Alison Wonderland to be quintessential and quirky, almost a little reminiscent of Alice In Wonderland. While there are no rabbit holes to fall down nor any Mad Hatter’s, Alison Wonderland still has that magical element of almost falling into another world that is so different from reality. With a shig, cross between a sheep and a pig, monks in an underground tunnel and lots of detective work going on I felt as though at moments as though I was reading a magical land that doesn’t exist. Helen Smith, however manages to combine this style with reality, firmly set in England with normal goings on as well as the obscure. I loved the British colloquiums, humour and style within the novel. Being British living in America I enjoy seeing these elements brought through in a novel. The mentions of Marks and Spencer’s, particularly had me feeling a little nostalgic. I also enjoyed the way in which Helen Smith’s style is laid back and conversational making this an easy read, which flowed well. All of the characters within the novel are quirky and unique making them fun to read about, especially Jeff, Alison’s neighbour who sends her love poems. I enjoyed reading about their oddities and the strange and disconnected relationship that they seem to have with each other, was very entertaining. I found that with Helen Smith’s characterization and quirky wit, I was laughing out loud at many points during the novel.

Unfortunately, I did fall head over heels in love with Alison Wonderland. I find the novel very slow to get started, even with the great line of, “'I'm waiting for Mr Wonderland and when I find him I'll get married. Until then I'm staying single”, I still find that it was a little confusing in the beginning figuring out where this novel was headed. I found it very difficult to get enthralled in the story until a few chapters in, when I was able to delve into the characters more. Some readers may also be offended by some of language and scenes that happen in the book. There is a moment of animal cruelty, which although only mentioned for a couple of sentences, I found a little disturbing. Along with a scene where a man and an animal get a little too friendly. I felt that a couple of these moments could have been toned down, or perhaps taken out of the novel all together. I also found the careless drug use, and quest for a baby within the novel lead me to like Alison a little less than if she had not been as rough around the edges. I was also a little disappointed that there appeared to be a lot going on within the novel, however no real climax was reached. I would have liked to see the novel reach and pinnacle and then reach a conclusion.

Overall, I found Alison Wonderland to be a light yet still thought provoking, fun read. This is a quick read, therefore something you can easily pick up and put back down again, without losing the flow of the story. While I was not blown away with this novel and did have a few issues with it, I still found it to be an enjoyable read and would most probably read more from Helen Smith in the future. I would defiantly recommend picking up a copy of Alison Wonderland if you are after something a little different from your read.
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Sep 12, 2011 Eilis rated it 1 of 5 stars

The first thing that I thought upon completing this book was, "Wow. What a piece of crap."

I read all 220 pages of this book (which I obtained because it was the Kindle deal of the day) hoping that things would get better. I thought, as the book began, that it was building slowly to the plot. One third of the way into the book, I realized that I was still waiting for some semblance of plot to build, and that this was most likely going to be a problem. It was-- after finishing the book, I can tell...more The first thing that I thought upon completing this book was, "Wow. What a piece of crap."

I read all 220 pages of this book (which I obtained because it was the Kindle deal of the day) hoping that things would get better. I thought, as the book began, that it was building slowly to the plot. One third of the way into the book, I realized that I was still waiting for some semblance of plot to build, and that this was most likely going to be a problem. It was-- after finishing the book, I can tell you basic things about the characters, but nothing about a real, tangible plot.

As the book regularly shifts perspective between characters (without a change in narrative voice), the lack of plot is particularly frustrating. With so many opportunities to have something worthwhile expressed from a bunch of different perspectives, there's really no point at all to the book, save for the author's attempts to be clever or to impress the audience via shock value. The only surprise that this book offers is how incredibly poorly it is written. Entire chapters of the book contribute nothing whatsoever to the book (I would say "to the plot," but, again, there isn't one).

The best characters in the book are Mrs. Fitzgerald and Dick, both of whom get brief narrative pieces written in third-person limited (albeit a flawed version of it), while the utterly unlikable title character gets passages written in first person. None of the third-person bits are distinguishable from one another, and it's not as thought the author is trying to be particularly deep and tell us that we're all just reflections of the same consciousness-- she just really doesn't seem to be able to do characterization very well.

What this ultimately amounts to is a book about a woman who becomes a private investigator but does no actual detective work, but instead goes on holiday and does a lot of drugs with someone that she doesn't really care for. There's no Wonderland in sight-- and while the author warns that the character's name is the only "Alice in Wonderland" reference in the book, we go through the novel expecting her to fall into some kind of rabbit hole, because we realize by the halfway point that it's the only thing that would possibly save this novel. It never happens.

Perhaps if the author had had an editor, the book wouldn't be a miserable waste of time. There are comma splices, missing commas, possessive words missing an apostrophe, and words that are missing completely. The grammar issue is the first clue that the book was either a) never edited, b) edited by someone who has no business editing, and that c) either Smith doesn't know the rules of grammar and can't fix her proofs or d) never bothered to look them over in the first place.

I would like my dollar back.(less)

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Aug 24, 2011 Jac rated it 3 of 5 stars

One thing I really enjoyed about the book was the main character, Alison! She really seemed like someone I would be friends with, and that made this book an enjoyable read. (In fact, all of the characters were marvelous!)

I also loved that it wasn't "Americanized" to bring it here! It was refreshing to read something with the British spellings and slang.

I do have one (somewhat major) complaint about this book, the first and most major being the head jumping. It took me several chapters to see wha...more

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